am satisfied that the train was surrounded on three sides before the fighting commenced. The two pieces of artillery on the right of the road at the rear of the train were not used by the enemy during the engagement. I lost no men from my command.

Respectfully, yours,

R. L. PHILLIPS,

Second Lieutenant Company C, Sixth Kansas Vol. Cav.

Colonel J. M. WILLIAMS,

Commanding Escort to Train.

Numbers 28. Report of Lieutenant Anson J. Walker, Sixth Kansas Cavalry, of engagement at Poison Spring.

CAMP NEAR CAMDEN, April 20, 1864.

COLONEL: I would respectfully report the part taken by a section of howitzers attached to the Sixth Regiment Kansas Volunteer Cavalry in an engagement with the enemy on the 18th instant: First. Number of commissioned officers present, 1; number of enlisted men, 24. Second. Private Christopher C. Goodman, Company D, Sixth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, and attached to and doing duty with a section of howitzers attached to the Sixth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, was killed in the early part of the engagement. Private Henry Gable, Company K, Sixth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, and attached to and doing duty with a section of howitzers attached to the Sixth Kansas Volunteer Cavalry, is missing, supposed to be a prisoner. Third. I was ordered with my command, in conjunction with the Eighteenth Iowa Infantry and detachments of the Second, Sixth, and Fourteenth Kansas Cavalry, all under command of Captain Duncan, of Eighteenth Iowa Infantry, to re-enforce the escort to the forage train under command of Colonel Williams, First Kansas Colored Infantry, and proceeded with them to camp, about 12 miles from Camden. I brought the section into battery three times on the march, our cavalry skirmishing nearly all the way to camp. I did no fire a shot, it not being necessary. On the morning of the 18th, I moved on with the command until we met the train, distant about 3 miles. I then, after the train had passed, took my position int he rear with the rear guard, and moved on a short distance when firing commenced in front. I took my position three times on the right of road, facing to the front, but was each time ordered farther to the right. I was then ordered to fall back to the left of the road, facing to left. I remained there until our forces commenced falling back in disorder, when I was ordered to fall back to the hill in our rear, where I remained until ordered to retreat, the enemy pouring in a heavy fire form our right. I did so, and fell back about one-quarter of a mile, when we came to a creek where it was impossible to get the guns over, and I was obliged to abandon the guns, spiking while under a severe fire from the enemy. The men under my command behaved well.

I remain, colonel, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

A. J. WALKER,

First Lieutenant, Commanding Howitzers Detach. Sixth Kans. Vol. Cav.

Colonel J. M. WILLIAMS,

Commanding First Kansas Colored Infantry.